


Desperate Search

by IWillScreamIntoTheAbyss



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Genre: lowkey graphic descriptions of injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 10:16:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13362516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWillScreamIntoTheAbyss/pseuds/IWillScreamIntoTheAbyss
Summary: After falling, the party search for each other in an unfamiliar land. Brighid has to find Mòrag before it's too late and she returns to her Core Crystal.





	Desperate Search

Brighid had a feeling this wouldn’t end well. There was no way the rotting ground under them would be able to support the fight against the newly awakened Pyra and Jin, let alone a fully charged shot from an Artifice. She pulled Mòrag close.   
“Put your swords away, and stay close,” she said, putting as much ether as she could into the crystals of Mòrag’s swords. 

She nodded. She knew better to question Brighid’s instinct, and she, too, had a bad feeling about this. 

Ophion’s attack hit the ruins, making the ground underneath their feet to crumble to nothing. Brighid held Mòrag tightly, and Mòrag did the same. She refused to let them get separated during the fall. Her driver was only human, and even with the ether in her swords, an armoured veil likely wouldn’t be enough to stop her from dying on impact. 

She could see the others falling around them. Nia was on Dromarch’s back, clinging to his fur. Zeke was screaming, having grabbed Pandoria’s tail to keep them close. Poppi was trying to fly over to Tora when he was hit by a boulder. Her scream broke her heart. She couldn't see Rex or Pyra anywhere. Her own Driver, however, was only human. Not a Blade, a Blade Eater or a Flesh Eater, just 100% human. If they were to be separated, chances were she was going to turn back into a core crystal and be lost underneath the clouds forever. She couldn’t let that happen. 

She surrounded herself with a shield to avoid debris a few times, though she didn’t manage to hold it long enough. A rock hit Mòrag, making her lose her grip. Brighid hung on tighter. More debris fell over them, one of them hitting Brighid.   
She lost her grip on Mòrag for half a second, but that was all gravity needed to pull them apart. She tried to reach for Mòrag, who was also reaching for her. They were so close, their fingers barely inches apart. Brighid’s keen eye warned her of what was coming, but she didn’t have the time to warn Mòrag. 

A rock fell right between them, smashing into their arms. Mòrag screamed and was pushed farther away. Brighid desperately tried to get to her, but she couldn’t. 

As she disappeared into the darkness of the Great Void, Brighid could only pray to the Architect that Mòrag would survive the fall. 

0o0  
Pain.   
That was the only thing going through Mòrag’s mind as she slowly regained her senses. She could breathe, barely. She could feel her heart beating in her head and felt lightheaded as soon as she opened her eyes.   
Carefully, she tried to sit up to take count of her injuries. Just the idea of moving made her stomach turn. She was pretty sure her arm and leg were broken, and she knew what a broken clavicle and ribs felt like. She had a coughing fit; it felt like her lungs were about to explode out of her chest. She tasted blood in her mouth. 

She had to find the others. She wouldn’t last long like this. She refused to die in this place, wherever she was. 

Leaning on her slightly better arm, she sat up and looked around, wiping the blood from her eyes. This must be the land of Morytha. She’d read about it in books before, and never did she think she’d actually visit it. Visit probably wasn’t the greatest choice of words. 

There was a storm in the distance, and the buildings that were left didn’t look very stable. Whatever had happened here, it had been a world-ending event.   
She had to move. If she were attacked in the state she was in, she would die. If she stayed here without any treatment, she would die. 

Knowing there was no way her leg would be able to support her weight, she half-dragged herself across the ground until it got too painful. The world blurred around her. 

She hoped Nia found her before it was too late. 

0o0

Brighid hit the ground with a force that took her breath away for a solid minute. She sat up, looking around for any useful landmarks. The air felt heavier here, and when she looked in the distance, there was an odd green hue over everything.   
She couldn’t see anyone else around and hoped they were alright. The mere fact that she was alive meant that Mòrag was too, but she had no idea for how long. Her Driver was strong, but also human. There was no way she’d come out of such a fall unscathed. She could feel the crystals in the swords calling out to her, and with no other idea of where to go, she followed that pull. 

She summoned one sword from her Core Crystal, not wanting to use up too much ether. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to follow the call if she summoned the other.   
She made her way through the abandoned streets. She was attacked by a monster she’d never seen before. It had a Core Crystal. It was a Blade. She didn’t have time to think about it. She had to get to Mòrag. She burnt it, only letting her fire die down when she heard the tell tale noise of a Core Crystal hitting the ground. 

She kept moving. She heard sounds of a struggle. The call was still too far away to be Mòrag, but it could still be one of her companions. She rushed over to see Poppi fighting one of those Blades on her own. She burnt it.

“Poppi, are you alright?” She asked. 

“Poppi fine,” she answered. “Masterpon fine too, Poppi can feel him not too far away.”

“That’s good,” she said, putting a hand on top of Poppi’s head. 

“Oh finally, a sign of life!” she heard someone say and saw a white fluff ball floating towards them. 

“I’m glad you made it fine, Azurda,” she said as he landed on Poppi’s head. “Did you see anyone else?”

The titan shook his head. “You’re the first I’ve seen.”

The only reason she didn't swear was because she didn’t want to taint Poppi. 

“We have to find everyone,” she declared. 

“I did see the World Tree’s roots,” Azurda said. “If they’re smart, everyone will be heading for them.”

Brighid agreed to that idea, but she had another priority. “I have to find Lady Mòrag first. We were separated during the fall and while she’s still alive, I don’t think she’ll be able to defend herself in the state she’s in.”

“I didn’t know your bond was so strong you could feel the other’s presence,” Azurda said. 

Brighid started walking, not wanting to lose time. “I can feel her calling, and she hasn’t moved. She’s either unconscious or can’t move at all. I have to get to her before something bad happens.”

“Indeed,” Azurda agreed. “It would be a tragedy to lose you or Mòrag.”

They walked in tense silence. Brighid could feel she was getting closer to Mòrag, but not fast enough. She almost begged Poppi to fly them over the ruins to where she was. Poppi had broken one of her propulsers, which meant she wouldn’t be able to anyway. 

They heard a scuffle up ahead and ran. 

0o0

Zeke dragged himself to his feet, groaning. He and Pandoria had managed to stay together during the fall, thanks to him grabbing her tail. It had hurt like hell, but at least they hadn’t been separated. 

“You alright Pandy?” he asked. 

“I’m fine,” she replied, dusting herself off. 

They both looked around. 

“Must be this Morytha place Rex and Mòrag were talking about,” Zeke muttered. 

Pandoria just nodded. “The World Tree is over there,” she pointed east. 

He could just barely make it out through the storm that was raging in the distance. The updraft it caused must’ve been what saved them. 

“The others are probably gonna head for it too,” he said. “Let’s hurry. I don’t like this place. Gives me the heebie jeebies.”

“I don’t like it either, I keep getting the feeling we aren’t supposed to be here.”

Staying close and alert, they headed in the general direction of the tree, hoping to run into the others on the way. 

They turned a corner and saw Tora being attacked by… things. Zeke leaped in to help, Pandoria close behind. The things kept healing themselves and seemed almost indestructible. It was really annoying.

“My prince!” Pandoria shouted. “They have Core Crystals! Aim for them!”

“You got it Pandy!”

He damaged them, then passed it to Pandoria who finished them off with an Electric Circus. 

The creatures fell, now nothing more than cracked Core Crystals. 

“Those are the most messed up Blades I’ve ever seen,” Zeke said as he picked up a crystal.

“Tora not like this place,” Tora said. “It feel cursed.”

“I don’t like it either,” Pandoria agreed. “Let’s find the others and get out of here.”

“I hope everyone’s alright,” he muttered. 

0o0

Nia landed roughly, glad she was a Blade. The others had likely hurt themselves on the way down. 

Zeke would probably be alright, he’d been run over by a damn boulder and come out fine. Mòrag had been shot by a canon and made it out with nothing more than a few burns, she’d be fine too. Rex was, well, Rex. He’d be fine too. Nopon were basically indestructible, so she wasn’t worried about Tora. 

It’s what she told Dromarch, anyway, as the two looked around. 

They couldn’t see anyone else. 

“I certainly hope you’re right, My Lady,” Dromarch said. 

“Me too,” she agreed. 

They could see the World Tree in the distance and headed for it, hoping everyone else would too. They avoided the weird monsters in the area, who thankfully didn’t spot them.   
Nia couldn’t stop looking at the massive buildings. What kind of civilization had built this? What kind of war had brought this place down? 

She shuddered just at the thought of the kinds of weapons needed to bring down a place like this. She gripped Dromarch’s fur just a little tighter. 

She just wanted to find everyone safe and sound and get out of here. 

0o0

Brighid couldn’t believe Rex had declared a ceasefire between themselves and Jin. Mythra didn’t like it either, but they didn’t have much of a choice. 

Rex was too nice for his own good. Just like how Mòrag was too stubborn for her own good. The call was getting weaker, but she could feel that she hadn’t moved. Not a good sign.

They'd stopped to rest. Mythra had walked off somewhere with Poppi, but she couldn’t bring herself to relax. Her Driver was out there, hurt and defenceless. 

She felt her heart beat get faster and pain that until now, had been limited to her Core Crystal, flared through her body. She screamed, catching everyone off guard and sending Mythra and Poppi running toward them. 

“Brighid!” Rex exclaimed, unsure of what to do. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Mòrag,” she said between two waves of pain. “She’s badly hurt.”

“How can you even feel her pain?” Rex asked. “You two aren’t connected.”

“If the trust between Driver and Blade is strong enough, they don’t need to share a Core Crystal to feel the other’s pain,” Azurda said. 

“If Brighid is in that much pain,” Jin said, having quietly joined them. “Then Mòrag is far worse. We shouldn’t stay here.”

The pain passed, and Brighid took a moment to gather herself. “I’m fine now, let’s go.” She hated to admit it, but Jin was right. 

She led the way, leaving the others to follow. 

Mythra caught up to her. “Knowing Mòrag, she’ll look death straight in the face and tell it to fuck off. We’re going to find her.”

Brighid smiled at the thought of it. It was a very Mòrag thing to say. 

Yes, her Driver might be too stubborn for her own good, but right now, that was playing to their advantage. She was, however, only human. They had to hurry. 

0o0

Zeke, Pandoria and Tora were on what seemed to be an overpass, walking quickly toward the Tree. The ground shook underneath them.

“Tora think we should move,” Tora said.

Before Zeke could open his mouth, the earth shook again the overpass fell apart. Zeke tried to grab Pandoria, but she was too far. 

He landed harshly on his back, rolling out of the way of some debris. He sat up, seeing he’d been separated from the others.

“Pandoria!” he shouted. “Tora! Can you hear me?”

“Are you hurt?” He heard Pandoria shout back. 

“I’m fine!” he screamed back.

“Tora not see way through!”

“Keep headed toward the tree!” Zeke ordered. “We’ll meet back up there!”

“My prince! Are you sure?”

“Yes! I’ll be fine!”

He couldn't see Pandoria, but he knew she could take care of herself. She’d keep Tora safe, too. 

He saw more of those damn things heading towards him. He drew his sword and struggled against them. He already missed Pandoria. Once the things were gone, he started jogging toward the World Tree. He kept an eye out for the others. He didn’t want to be down here on his own for much longer and hoped he ran into someone soon enough. 

0o0

Mòrag woke up again, in more pain than ever. She used her good hand to try to stem the bleeding on her side, but it quickly seeped through her torn glove and uniform. She tried to rip parts of the tails of her coat, cursing at the quality of the fabric. She managed to rip off a piece, and tied it around the wound as well as she could. 

She tried to stand, with little success. 

She refused to die down here. 

She ignored the pain in her broken arm and dragged herself to a wall. If she could lean against it, she might be able to walk. She managed to make it over there and stand up. She made it a few steps before falling. She landed on her broken arm and screamed out in pain. She calmed her breathing and closed her eyes.18 years of military training hadn’t prepared her for this kind of pain. 

The world blurred again, but she refused to close her eyes. She might never open them again if she did. 

She thought of Niall. Of Brighid.

With another pained cry, she stood up and let the wall carry most of her weight. She wiped the blood in her eyes. 

She had to keep moving. 

She made it a few meters before falling again. 

She heard a familiar voice in the distance. 

She screamed out his name as she tried to stand back up. 

0o0

Zeke was getting sick and tired of these things, but at least they went down more or less easily once he’s gotten used to fighting them alone. He still shouted in battle, if only to cheer himself up. Well, and also that way, someone else might be able to hear him. When he put his sword away, he heard his name. He recognised that voice. 

“Mòrag!”

He waited to hear another shout, then swore when there was no answer. He ran in the direction he’d heard it come from, calling out her name. 

“Where are you?” 

He found himself at an intersection and looked around. She hadn’t called again. He couldn't hear anyone fighting near him. He knew he hadn’t imagined it. 

He saw something- someone crumpled against the wall. 

He swore when he recognised the uniform. 

0o0

Nia and Dromarch heard something fall in the not-so-distant distance. They walked faster, keeping an eye on the buildings above them. They looked like they might crumble at any moment.   
The air here was as heavy as in the Spirit Crucible Elpys, but at least there was ether. She walked faster, Dromarch matching her pace. 

She wanted to avoid fights and save her ether in case someone needed to be healed. As such, they ran whenever they were spotted by the monsters who lived down here. They were getting closer to the World Tree, but the streets were getting harder to navigate. When they hadn’t crumbled away to nothing, there was a collapsed building in the way.They made their way through the streets as quickly as they could. 

0o0

Brighid could feel Mòrag getting weaker by the minute. They’d had to pass through the remains of the Tornan titan, and Brighid didn’t have time for Jin’s talking. Mythra seemed to share her thoughts, since she’d gone ahead.   
At least there were less monsters, but the way through was blocked by collapsed pathways. 

She did her best to ignore the pain she was in, knowing her Driver had it much worse than she did. 

0o0

Zeke carefully kneeled next to Mòrag, placing a hand on her neck to check for a pulse. It was there, barely. He knew better than to move her, but if she stayed here, she would die. 

“Mòrag, can you hear me?” he asked, making a mental count of her injuries. 

“Yeah,” she replied. He could tell that just talking took a lot out of her.

“I’ve got you Mòrag,” he said, gently turning her to put her on her back. She hissed at the pain. 

He apologised and he ripped parts of his coat to try to stop the bleeding. 

“I’m going to pick you up, alright?” he said. 

She nodded. She was too damn compliant for this to be reassuring. He’d expected her to insist she could still walk, but she said nothing. 

He put her on his back and carried her through the streets. He saw her close her eyes. 

“Don’t you dare die on me, Mòrag.”

0o0

Pandoria had a terrible feeling about being separated from Zeke, but she knew he could defend himself. She heard something and ran, grabbing Tora to make sure he could keep up.   
She saw Nia below them, fending off a few of those things while backed up against a wall. 

She summoned a sword from her Core Crystal and jumped in to help. 

The things fell quickly, and she turned to Nia. 

“Are you alright?” she asked. 

“I’m fine. Zeke isn't with you?”

“He was until the place we were on collapsed,” she explained. “I ended up on the opposite side of the debris with Tora. He said we should all head towards the World Tree and we’d meet up there.”

“We were heading for it ourselves,” Dromarch said. 

They travelled together, passing through a tunnel that made Pandoria think that they were now probably on the same side of the debris than Zeke had been. She looked behind them every few seconds, checking for any signs of him.   
They were sure they were going to be attacked again; those monsters were everywhere. They were getting close to a dead titan and saw that it was blocking the way to the World Tree.  
Right before they entered the titan, they heard a shout. 

“Nia!”  
They all turned when they heard Zeke. They ran over, but paused when they saw Zeke was carrying someone. 

Nia swore, knowing why Zeke had called her instead of Pandoria. 

He carefully put Mòrag down and backed away, letting Nia do her work. 

Mòrag was unconscious, but still somehow alive. Nia had saved people with worse injuries, so she was sure she could save her. At least, that’s what she thought until Nia had closed the injuries and Mòrag showed no signs of improvement. 

“How’s she doing?” Zeke asked.

“Zeke.” She said, not looking away from Mòrag. “Go find Brighid and bring her back here.”

“Nia?” Zeke asked. “What are you talking about?”

“I can keep her alive until Brighid gets here, but as soon as I stop healing, she’s going to die.”

Zeke’s heart sank. 

“Nia can’t save Mòrag?” Tora asked. 

Nia shook her head. “I can if Brighid is here.”

“There’s no time to waste,” Zeke said, standing up. He knew what Nia wanted to try. 

“Dromarch, go with them and bring Brighid back here the second you find her,” Nia ordered. 

Dromarch nodded. He didn’t want to leave his Driver alone, but he knew she would be safe here. 

0o0

There was a big monster standing between them and the exit of the titan. Brighid could feel that Mòrag was close. She’d moved, which was a really, really good sign. 

She got ready to fight it, but without her Driver there was only so much she could do. Sure, Mythra and Pyra had unlocked their true power, but the thing kept healing itself. At this rate, they would exhaust themselves before the thing died.   
A bolt of lighting struck it and she looked up, hopeful. She saw Zeke, Pandoria, Tora and Dromarch. 

...Mòrag wasn’t among them. 

The new arrivals jumped down from the ledge they were on. Zeke turned to her. “Go with Dromarch,” he told her. “He’ll lead you to Mòrag. We’ll handle this.” 

Brighid nodded and ran over to Dromarch. “Hop on, Lady Brighid, it will be faster.”

“How’s Mòrag?”she asked as she jumped on. 

“Not well,” was her only answer.

She saw Nia kneeling in front her unconscious Driver. Her heart sank when she saw the state she was in. Even though Nia was healing her, she still didn’t look good. 

She kneeled next to her, silently asking Nia if it was safe to cradle her. Nia’s nod was her answer. 

Carefully, she held Mòrag in her arms. Her breathing was ragged, but at least she was still breathing. 

Mòrag opened her eyes. She gave her a small smile and tried reached up to Brighid’s cheek. Her hand was far too cold, so Brighid held it with her free hand. 

“I’m sorry, Brighid,” she said.

“Don’t be,” she replied. “I should have been there.”

She shook her head. Brighid kissed her hand, carefully.

She could feel her Core Crystal calling, and knew Mòrag wouldn’t last much longer.

“Nia,” she opened her eyes and looked at the Flesh Eater, who looked up as well. “Take my Core Crystal. Give it to her.”

“I don’t know if I can do it,” Nia replied. “I’ve never done it before, I can’t guarantee anything.”

“She’s going to die anyway,” Brighid sad, looking down at her now unconscious Driver. “I made a promise that nothing bad would happen to her, and I intend to keep it.”

“I’ll try,” Nia declared. 

“That’s all I ask.”

0o0

Once the thing fell, Rex turned to Zeke. “Where are Mòrag and Nia?”

Zeke’s expression darkened. “Mòrag’s badly hurt, Nia’s taking care of her.”

“How badly hurt?” Mythra asked.

“Even with Nia healing her up, she might not make it,” Pandoria replied. 

Rex’s heart went up to his throat. “We have to go,” he said. “The least we can do is be there.”

Poppi let out a small whine. 

When they arrived at the place where Nia was, they saw that she was still healing, though Brighid was laying next to Mòrag. 

The fact the Nia was still healing was a good sign, since it meant Mòrag was still alive. Or that Nia was trying to bring her back before Brighid returned to her Core Crystal. Rex hoped it was the former. 

“How is she doing?” Mythra asked, kneeling next to Nia.

Mòrag’s uniform was undone, leaving the blue, flamed shaped crystal on her chest in plain sight. Mythra eyes wandered over to Brighid’s chest, where she saw the rest of the crystal. 

“She’s going to be fine,” Nia said. 

Mythra couldn’t look away, the Core Crystal glowing with every beat of Mòrag’s heart. 

The others saw it as well, and a sigh of relief went through the entire party. 

“It’ll take them a few hours to wake up,” Nia declared as she finally stopped healing, something she’d been doing for almost two hours now. “But they’ll be fine.”

“We can make camp here, then,” Rex said. 

Mythra switched to Pyra to start a fire. Rex took first watch, Nia having already curled herself up against Dromarch. Zeke had taken off his coat and placed it over Mòrag and Brighid. 

When Rex turned to talk to Jin, he was gone. 

0o0

Brighid woke up and saw Mòrag next to her, fast asleep. She sat up, pushing off Zeke’s coat. She was a little dizzy, but it quickly passed. 

“Welcome back,” she heard Mythra say. 

Her hand went up to her Core Crystal. She would have to get used to only half of it being there. She could feel Mòrag’s heart beating in it, which was an odd feeling. 

“I’m glad to be here,” she replied. 

She couldn't look away from Mòrag. She’d come so close to losing her.

Mythra was taking watch now, so they were the only ones awake.

Brighid brushed the hair out of Mòrag’s face. She carefully buttoned up her uniform, seeing that someone had tried and failed to do it. 

“I tried,” Mythra said. “I have no idea how that thing works, let alone how she manages to put it on so quickly every day.”

She smiled, finishing up the buttons. “She swore at the buttons a few times when she was first appointed Special Inquisitor.”

Mythra laughed. A comfortable silence fell between the two. Brighid cradled Mòrag, holding her tightly. A part of her didn’t want to let Mòrag go, wanting to feel her close even if she could feel her heart beating in her crystal.   
She undid her bun, which was now messy anyway. She put her forehead against Mòrag’s and stayed like that for awhile. She could feel Mythra’s gaze on her, but she couldn’t care less. 

A few hours passed, during which Brighid didn’t let go. Even when she laid back down to sleep a little longer, she held Mòrag close. 

0o0

Mòrag opened her eyes, the world slowly coming back into focus. A fire burned nearby, and she could feel Brighid’s heat at her back. She took a deep breath, enjoying the sensation of being able to breathe without her ribs screaming at her.   
She untangled herself from Brighid’s grip and sat up, unable to resist the urge to stretch. She looked around, seeing it was Dromarch who was taking watch. He gave her a small nod. 

She laid back down, facing Brighid this time. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the incomplete Core Crystal. Her hand flew to her chest. She felt the other half of the crystal under her uniform.   
Brighid woke up and moved her arms, looking for Mòrag. She held her hand.

“I’m right here, Brighid,” she said, unable to stop herself from smiling. 

Brighid smiled too, sitting up.

She gave Mòrag a tight hug she hadn’t been expecting, and for half a second all she could do was freeze up before hugging Brighid back. She buried her head in Brighid’s neck and hugged tighter. 

“I was so scared,” she admitted. 

It had been so quiet Brighid not have heard it if she hadn’t been listening. 

“I thought I’d lost you.” She gently took her shoulders and held her at arms length. She opened her eyes and looked at Mòrag. “I know you didn’t want to become a Blade Eater, that you didn’t want those scars, but it was the only way to save you.”  
Mòrag smiled. “You did what you had to do,” she said, taking one of Brighid’s hands, “and I’m thankful for it. If you hadn’t, we’d both be dead right now. 

Brighid pulled Mòrag closer. She never wanted to let go.

“I love you,” Mòrag said. 

“I love you too.”

They would move forward, together.

With each other’s heart in their chest.

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact: in my drafts, this was called "not Mòrag's day"


End file.
